Find your personalized training zones to maximize every workout.
| Zone | Name | BPM Range | Intensity | Effort |
|---|
Enter your age and resting heart rate (measured first thing in the morning), then click Calculate My Zones. You'll instantly see your five training zones in beats per minute. You can also override the max heart rate if you've had it measured via a stress test or VO₂ max test. Switch between the Karvonen method (which accounts for your resting heart rate) and the simpler % Max HR method using the tabs.
Training without knowing your zones is like driving without a speedometer — you have no idea if you're going easy enough to recover or hard enough to improve. Heart rate zones let you target specific physiological adaptations with each workout.
A 35-year-old runner with a resting HR of 58 bpm, for example, has a Zone 2 range (aerobic base) of roughly 124–140 bpm using the Karvonen method. Staying in this range for 80% of their runs builds mitochondrial density and fat-burning efficiency without overloading the body. Meanwhile, Zone 4 (tempo, ~157–167 bpm) improves lactate threshold — the pace you can sustain for a hard 10K.
Elite coaches use the 80/20 principle: 80% of training at low intensity (Zones 1–2), 20% at high intensity (Zones 4–5). Without a calculator like this one, most recreational athletes accidentally train too hard on easy days and too easy on hard days — the "gray zone" that leads to burnout and plateaus.
Heart rate zones are also used in cardiac rehabilitation, weight loss programs, and triathlon periodization. Knowing your zones is fundamental whether you're a beginner walker or an Ironman finisher.
Max Heart Rate: Estimated as 220 − age (you can override this with a measured value).
Karvonen Method (Heart Rate Reserve):
Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) = Max HR − Resting HR
Target HR = (HRR × % intensity) + Resting HR
For example, Zone 3 lower bound at 60% for a person with Max HR 185 and Resting HR 60:
(185 − 60) × 0.60 + 60 = 75 + 60 = 135 bpm
% Max HR Method: Simply multiplies your max HR by each zone's percentage range — e.g. Zone 2 = 60–70% of 185 = 111–130 bpm. The Karvonen method is generally considered more accurate as it personalizes for your fitness level (reflected by resting HR).
For adults, a normal resting heart rate is 60–100 bpm. Well-trained athletes often sit between 40–60 bpm. If your resting HR is consistently above 100, speak with a doctor. The lower your resting HR (within normal range), the higher your heart rate reserve and the wider your training zones.
The Karvonen method is widely considered more accurate because it factors in your resting heart rate, which reflects your cardiovascular fitness level. A highly trained athlete with a resting HR of 45 will have different effective zones than a sedentary person with a resting HR of 80, even at the same age and max HR. The % Max HR method ignores this and tends to underestimate upper zones for fit individuals.
Yes, though keep in mind that max heart rate can differ by sport. Swimming HR tends to run 10–13 bpm lower than running due to horizontal position and water cooling. Cycling HR sits about 5–8 bpm below running for most people. If you train seriously in multiple sports, consider measuring your max HR sport-specifically for best results.
The most practical field test is a 3-minute all-out effort — warm up well, then do a hard 1-mile run or 3×3-minute intervals escalating to maximum effort. Your peak HR near the end is close to your true max. For clinical accuracy, a treadmill stress test administered by a physician is the gold standard, particularly important if you're over 40 or have cardiovascular risk factors.